Description: Pisces jaw has been removed by Zodiac and replaced by a fearsome metal maw capable of breaking bones - and more - with each bite. Added to this is an internal reserve of boiling hot water that Pisces can spew forth. Both of these modifications have left him unable to speak, not that Zodiac listens anyway.

Pisces appears thin and muscular, with webbed hands and feet that help him maneuver through the water. Water jets that intake water from his sides and project them from beneath his ribs allows him to propel himself at amazing speeds. Greenish skin and pale, watery eyes leads some to concluding he was never human to begin with, but like all members of Zodiac's army, he was once a perfectly normal individual.

I want to try pitting some of my builds against each other, so for practice first I’m pitting some Instant Superheroes characters against each other. This faceoff is between two of the Sidekick builds in Instant Superheroes: The Agent and the Sentient Plant. Looking at the builds the Agent is going to have a tough time damaging the Plant with its 3 points of Impervious Protection – so I’m calling this one for the Agent.

Begin!

Agent Jones was the first to arrive at the city park. It wasn’t hard for him to follow the screams right to the creature he was responding to. He quickly came into view of a roughly humanoid looking collection of vines. The Plant had no discernible facial features just more tangled vines. The last of the park’s visitors for the days disappeared from the scene as The Plant turned its head towards Agent Jones.

Agent Jones and The Plant are starting 60 feet apart. Agent Jones gets an initiative of 15, but The Plant is going first with a result of 19

The Plant moves before using Plant Control to Snare Agent Jones (DC 16). Agent Jones gets two saves – one to half the effect and one to actually save. He misses the first, but Saves anyway.

The Plant lumbers forward, closing half the distance between the two. A strange gurgling sound rumbled from sentient plant as Agent Jones readied himself for an attack. He almost didn’t see the grass around his feet begin to quiver, but as the plants around his feet surged upward to grab him he lunged forward into a roll and avoided the trap.

Agent Jones attempts to Demoralize as a Move Action, with a result of 21, but the Plant saves with a result of 24. He then attacks with his Pistol, hitting The Plant, but not doing any damage due to impervious.

Agent Jones brandished his gun and shouted “Federal Agent! Stop or I’ll shoot.” The Plant, however, continued to move forward, too which Jones opened fire. The bullets hit their mark but disappeared into the quivering vines of The Plant.

The Sentient Plant charges, gaining a +2 to Hit (and -2 to defense this round), it Hits. The save DC is 18, but Jones rolls a 1 and only gets a 5! Having failed by 13 the Agent is Staggered and Stunned, and Knockback-ed 1foot (he saves) and is prone. The Agent is stunned, so the Plant uses his Suffocate attack – which the Agent saves against by 2.

Jones was taken aback by the creature’s ability to shrug off bullets, but his well-trained face didn’t reveal a thing. He opened his mouth to talk again when The Plant suddenly ran forward, faster than Jones expected. A burly vine arm came down hard across Jones’ skull, knocking him backwards into the grass. It might have been the concussion, but Agent Jones’ first thought was “The agency hates having to replace my suits. They’ll kill me for this.”

While the man with the gun was flat of his back The Plant reached down with one of his limbs. A huge white flower grew and blossomed at the end, shooting a cloud of yellow pollen into Agent Jones’ face. Luckily his head wasn’t spinning so much he couldn’t cover his mouth with his arm and hold his breath, preventing the spores from affecting him.

Agent Jones is staggered, and can only take a Move or a Standard action. – He gets up as his move. The Plant attempts his own demoralizing roll, which the Agent beats by 10, before animating one of the gargantuan trees in the park using animate object Alternate Power of Control Plants. Agent Jones attempts to run away, but only have one move option he can only go 30 ft.

Agent Jones staggers to his feet, his head pounding and fuzzy. The Plant leans forward and the vines making its “face” contort into a gaping maw and a loud, rumbling roar echoed from the creature. Even though Jones was unfazed by the show of aggression, the creaking of tree limbs behind him caused him to turn. Agent Jones was confronted by a tall oak swaying and moving. As its first root ripped out of the ground Agent Jones began stumbling away from tree and Plant alike.

The Tree enters combat this round, with a low initiative it goes last in the round. The Plant still goes first, using a move action to command the Oak to attack! It then uses Plant Control to Snare the Agent again.* The Snare hits, but the Agent Breaks free with a strength check the next round (the snare rolled 1 so it was pretty easy even with a strength of 12). The Tree moves and attacks for lethal damage, but with an attack roll of 17 it misses.

*I realized afterwards that The Plant couldn’t do this and keep the tree active because they are alternate powers of each other! Oops!

The Plant gurgled at the animated tree, which seemed to understand what it was saying, before it turned towards Agent Jones as he made his escape. The grass around his feet began quivering again, and strands grew rapidly and wrapped around his wrists and arms. With a yell he pulled himself free, breaking the plants, while the oak tree lumbered forward on roots that were tearing dirt and pavement apart. A sweeping limb was ducked under easily by the federal agent, giving him hope of being able to out maneuver the animated plant.

The Plant waits behind the tree, and readies a move action in case Agent Jones makes a break away from the tree. Agent Jones takes out his gun and fires into the Oak’s trunk, even though he hit the tree’s impervious toughness 5 made the +3 pistol look like a squirt gun. The tree attacks and hits with a 19. Agent Jones fails the DC 28 toughness save by four

Agent Jones stood his ground and fired into the trunk of the oak tree. Pieces of bark splintered off the tree, but no real damage had been done. One huge limb came crashing down of Agent Jones. Jones maneuvered enough not to be hit by the thick trunk, but the thinner branches scratched across his skin tearing his clothes and cutting his skin.

Agent Jones is now Bruised and Injured in addition to Staggered. The Plant maneuvers around Agent Jones and attempts to use Suffocate, but the attack roll missed. Agent Jones uses his standard action to begin to use diplomacy – a full round action – which he can finish the next round as a standard action. The tree attacks, missing. The Sentient plant then attacks with a 19, hitting Agent Jones’ defense of 18. Agent Jones rolls a one of his save – failing by 14! He is now Staggered, Disabled, Stunned, Bruised, Injured – and Knocked Prone (1ft, he saves against that damage). The agent is stunned on his turn, leaving him prone when the animated oak attacks with a lethal blow. The tree hits with a 16 against the Agents reduced defense of 10. The save DC is 28, and the agent rolls 13. He is now Dying and the Plant wins!

*On hindsight Agent Jones should have been unconscious with the second Staggered condition - but lets not sweat it since combat lasted only one more action.

The Plant maneuvered around the animated tree, moving more like a predator and less like a collection of weeds. Another white blossom bloomed from its “hand” and shot a blast of pollen at Agent Jones, though he managed to duck under the plume. He raised his hands up in a sign of surrender, though one hand still clutched his agency issued pistol. Jones attempted to negotiate with the plant, as he had little other option at this point. “Listen, there is no need for us to keep fighting. I’ll put down my – “A swinging limb from the oak caused Jones to duck again, but he continued, “I’ll put down my weap – Ugh!” A surge of vines from The Plant’s arm struck Jones squarely in the jaw, throwing him backwards onto the ground. His vision cleared just enough that he could make out the massive branch coming down at him…

Winner: The Plant!

I was worried about The Plant’s regeneration – but impervious proved to be a bigger issue. Without little means for doing more than three damage the Agent had few options. I purposely left out hero points this round, as I was unsure which side was the “player” and which was the “GM,” but that could have given Agent Jones a feat like Power Attack. Besides one mistake using an alternate power while Animate Object was still going on, I think the rules were followed throughout the battle.

Last edited by NYpurdy on Tue Jun 18, 2013 5:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Description: Corset is a cunning thief who keeps her two "teammates" around with her wiles. She's a non-powered super villain, but has two pieces of tech that puts her in the big leagues. First is her Hypnotic Lipstick, which allows her to mind control anyone on who she plants a kiss. She'll often use this on the guard of the place they are fleecing in order to stop any combat before it even starts.

Corset also wears a energy harness, which he keeps under her clothes before she activates it. This allows her to enter places without being suspected of any deviousness. This harness Covers little more than a traditional Corset, hence the villainess' name, and when activated blue lines glow between the black techno-fabric. The energy harness creates a force-field that deflects energy attacks, and surges with shocking blue energy (though this last effect flickers in and out with Corset's movements).

Last edited by NYpurdy on Thu Jun 20, 2013 11:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Description: Hat Trick prefers to leave any nuanced chores to Corset or Mongoose. He prefers to hit things - and hit them hard. Hat Trick can split himself into three identical copies of himself, each wielding a separate spots-themed club (e.g. baseball bat, golf club, hockey stick). When he recombines he takes on the most grievous damage any of these copies receives, so he always tries to watch his own back in a fight.

Description: An anthropomorphic weasel in a zoot suit and fedora, Mongoose has both super-speed and a super-human talent for breaking codes. Mongoose also wields an experimental gun that shoots a bio-feedback ray that triggers anaphylactic shock. Mongoose has the proverbial glass jaw, so a solid hit is likely to law him out flat. Of course Mongoose tries hard not to get hit.

This will be a fight between three of the members of the Deseret Defenders and the thieves Corset, Mongoose, and Hat Trick.

Begin!

Vigilant’s ESP tipped the three heroes off to the break-in at the Natural History museum. Vigilant popped the lock to the front doors and slipped inside to find the guard unconscious behind the front desk. Dart used his boy-scout first aid skills to check on the guard as the sound of talking floated in from down the hall. Wordlessly, Vigilant directed Faultline to go around to the far entrance while he and Dart entered from the closest one.

All three heroes attempt a Stealth check against a DC of 21 (10 plus Corset’s Notice Check): Only Faultline succeeded with a 21. As such, he gets a Surprise round and no one else does. Faultline charges (+2 Attack, -2 Defense) against the Flat-footed Mongoose. Faultline hits, but Mongoose rolls amazingly and saves despite his puny toughness save.

Inside the main room of the museum Corset and her boys, Mongoose and Hat Trick, stood around the base of the large triceratops skeleton in the center of the room. Mongoose looked up from the map he was holding and said in a slippery voice, “Looks likes the goods in there.” Hat Trick looked towards the room Mongoose was point towards but Corset spotted Dart as he peered in around the corner. “Heads up, boys. We’ve got company.”

Realizing he hadn’t been noticed yet Faultline decided to attack. His terrakinesis would almost certainly damage the dinosaur, so he charged from his location instead. Faultline threw a punch at the back of Mongoose’s head, and though the fedora was knocked from his head Mongoose was unfazed and he turned and hissed at Faultline, “Stupid Defenders”.

Corset checks to see if her energy aura is active, rolling a 6 means it’s not active for this round. Corset Grapples Faultline, hits and wins the grapple check. GM fiat to surge and uses her hypnotic lipstick. Faultline fails the DC 20 saves, the fort save by 1 and the will save by 2. Mind controlled and Faultline gets a HP.

The sparks surging across Corset’s tight-fitting harness died out as the villainess grabbed Faultline’s leather jacket and pulled him in close for a kiss. Faultline’s mind went blank as the hypnotic lipstick Corset was wearing shot through his bloodstream.

Running forward Vigilant swung his staff low at Hat Trick, but the goon was able to jump over the attack. At the same time Mongoose moved at surprise speed; grabbing his fedora and widely lashing out with his claws before running up when of the two staircases on the sides of the room to the observation balcony above. While Faultline stood there waiting for instructions from his new master, Dark ran forward and swung with near-transparent javelin of force in his hand. Twisting and bending at the waist, Corset winked at Dart as the blow barely missed connecting. Having avoided Vigilant’s attack Hat Trick seemed to vibrate for a moment before splitting into three identical copies. Each pulled a club from the holster on their backs - a baseball bat, a golf club, and a hockey stick – as they surrounded Vigilant.

Corset purred out her orders to Faultline, “Take out the young one for me. “ Keeping Dart at bay as her harness sparked to life, Corset backed up quickly towards the far exit. Vigilant was too preoccupied with his own opponents to do anything about her retreat even though he could see her clearly with his simultaneous ESP. He attempted to size up his opponents, but having seen little from them in the fight he wasn’t able to draw any conclusions yet. The hero lunged forward and brought his staff down on one of the duplicates, but a swift block with a bat left both unscathed.

Mongoose uses Aim action. Faultline switched to the Strike Alternate Power and fired at Dart, who saved for Half Damage and took no damage, it has homing so it could circle around the next turn. Dart wants to know where Mongoose went, and gets free action Notice check, but fails. He runs and grapples with Corset, saves versus the energy aura, and hits and succeeds with a 24 as Corset rolls 1, and chooses to deal damage. Corset Saves.

From his vantage point on the balcony Mongoose pulled out a strange looking blaster and aimed it at Vigilant. Down below Faultline held out a hand as the ground between his feet cracked opened. The fissure coursed towards Dart, who managed to jump backwards. The pieces of rock and flooring at flew up at him bounced off of the telekinetic barrier that surrounded his body. The vibration caused the Triceratops to wave, but the wires and pins holding it together held. Not wanting to engage Faultline, his ally, in battle, Dart gave a running tackle at Corset. As his arms wrapped around her waist the energy surging through her coursed through Dart but dissipated across his force field. Having Corset in a position where she couldn’t escape Dart brought his javelin against her throat and pushed, but the high neckline of her harness prevented any damage from occurring.

Two of the duplicates attempt to aid the third, one is successful one isn’t. The third duplicate attacks but misses.

Round 3. Corset’s aura shuts off. She doesn’t attempt to grapple back. Instead she attempts to demoralize Dart – and with her massive bluff check it’s not even a challenge! She then orders Faultline to ready an attack for when she’s clear of Dart. Vigilant uses Acrobatic Bluff as a move (Vigilant gets a 29 Hat Trick gets a 5!). He then attacks and hits. The duplicate fails by 9 and is Stunned and Bruised. Mongoose Aims and fires his Suffocate Gun, misses, and Fiat to reroll. Hits Vigilant, even with elusive target, and Vigilant gets a HP. Vigilant fails his fort save by 2 and is suffocating. He saves against a DC of 10 to stay conscious.

The three Hat Tricks swung their clubs at Vigilant, but he managed to duck and dodge around the blows. Across the room Corset’s harness failed to shock Dart again, but it didn’t stop her from playing with him. “My dear,” she yelled at Faultline, “don’t use those impressive skills while I’m so close.” The whispering sultrily into Dart’s ear she said, “I don’t want your friend to interrupt us. I like it when my boys play rough like you.”

Vigilant continued to weave, and then jabbed the butt of his staff backwards into the face of a surprised Baseball Bat wielding Hat Trick, who stumbled backwards a step and brought a hand to his bloodied cheek. Vigilant brought his staff to bear against the other two duplicates when he was hit from above by a strange yellowish-glow. As Mongoose held the trigger, the beam interfered with Vigilant’s biological functioning and caused his throat to swell and close. He couldn’t even cough as his airway was blocked completely.

Faultline readies an attack, and doesn’t activate Homing on his last attack. Dart, who is demoralized, fails his Grapple check and Corset escapes. The two un-stunned Duplicates attack, one aided the other successful, but Vigilant makes his toughness save.

Faultline stood still, watching emotionlessly as Dart and Corset struggled. So distracted by the “sweet nothings” she had whispered Dart let the woman twist out of his grasp.

Vigilant blocked the downward stroke of a golf club before a the hockey stick wielding Hat Trick brought his stick across Vigilant’s back. The blow merely stung, but it still made him worry about the situation.

Two Duplicates Aid successfully and the third attacks and hits Vigilant with a Critical. He calls the toughness save (DC 29) by 21 and is unconscious.

Corset turned and ran out of the room into the next exhibit. Dart looked as if he was about to give chase when a second fissure opened up in the ground at Faultline’s feet and surged towards Dart, throwing debris as it traveled. Dart planted his feet and was hit full on by the oncoming explosion, but once again his force field blocked the blow. Pieces of debris hit the Triceratops skeleton, dislodging one bone that fell from its shoulder.

Despite his own problems Dart couldn’t help but see his mentors’ plight. Vigilant was struggling to maintain consciousness as he fought against the suffocation ray. His staff whirred through the air deflecting attacks and landing light hits against his attackers, but he was slowing as his vision darkened around the edges. Dart leaped nearly straight up, and landed on the balcony overlooking the room next to Mongoose. Gripping his force spear with both hands he brought it down, skewering through the hand that held the Suffocation Ray. Shocked and hurt Mongoose recoiled and Vigilant gasped in a deep breath of air. The relief was short lived, however, as a swift blow from a golf club knocked Vigilant upside the head and sent him tumbling unconscious to the ground.

Round 5. Corset is gone and Vigilant is unconscious. Mongoose Fiats to recover from being Stunned and Dart gets a HP. Mongoose strikes Dart, hits, but Impervious blocks it without needing a toughness save. Mongoose runs down the stairs, across the room, and up the other stairs to the far balcony.

Faultine readies an attack and waits for a chance to blast Dart. Since Corset is gone, its ruled Dart can use his HP to give Faultline a chance to save again from Mind Control. Faultline Saves and is free! Dart Leaps to the other balcony, strikes Mongoose, who fails toughness save by 10. Mongoose is Staggered and Stunned. He is knocked back into a display cabinet, which doesn’t break and Mongoose makes his save.

Hat Trick fails a Notice save to tell that Faultline recovered, they run towards the room Corset went in, and get close to the exit.

Mongoose pulled his inured paw towards his chest and cursed loudly as his other hand clawed across Dart’s face. It merely scratched against the force field surrounding the boys’ body without causing harm. With eyes narrowing with contempt Mongoose took off quickly. At his super-speed he was able to make it down the balcony stairs, across the room, and up to the balcony on the other side in moments.

Dart looked down at his teammate and yelled “Faultline you idiot. Snap out of it! That tramp’s not even here anymore!” With a leap Dart closed the distance between the balconies, hitting Mongoose with his shoulder. The weasel –man was knocked backwards into a glass display case showing exotic butterfly specimens, which surprisingly held against the blow.

Down below Dart’s encouragement did the trick, and Faultline shook off the strange blankness he had been feeling. Looking around he saw the three identical Hat Tricks run for the exit.

Round 6. Faultline uses his explosive Burst on the three Duplicates. One gets the full blast 9, while the other two has to save against a blast 8. Only the first fail the reflex save for half damage, but all fail their toughness save. Saves (Toughness DC 24, 23, 19) Results are 17, 16, 16 – Baseball Bat is Stunned & Bruised x2 – Golf Club is Stunned and Bruised – Hockey Stick is Bruised. Baseball Bat is knock backed through the wall into the far room while Golf Club is thrown into the wall and takes another Bruised condition.

Dart attacks Mongoose, who fails his toughness save by 11 and is Unconscious. The last Hat Trick standing throws his club which hits Faultline. Faultline takes his first Bruised condition, Hat Trick successfully uses demoralize against Faultline.

The three versions of Hat Trick thought they were clear to regroup in the other room when the ground underneath them exploded upwards from underneath them. One of them was thrown clear through the wall into the room before while a second collided with the wall on the other side of the door without penetrating it. The third covered his face with his arms as the rocks pelted him with bones. Shards flew into nearby displays, cracking glass and splintering taxidermy.

Dart clocked Mongoose and knocked him out cold as the only standing Duplicate threw his hockey stick with yell. It spun through the air like a boomerang, spinning around the skeleton in the center of the room, and clocked Faultline across the face splitting the skin above his eye. As blood spilled down the side of his face Hat Trick yelled angrily across the room, “I’m going to rip your spine through your mouth!!”

Round 7. Faultline uses his line strike on the Hat Tricks – Both save for half damage, but fail their toughness saves. Hockey Stick is bruised and stunned and knock backed into the far room while Golf Club is stunned and bruised and hits the wall again. Dart leaps down next to Golf-Club and Strikes, Duplicate is Staggered and Stunned (and Bruisedx4 at this point).

Round 8. Faultline moves next to opening to next room and readies an attack and Dart knocks the Duplicate Unconscious.

Angrily Faultline gritted his teeth as the ground at his feet shattered forward. The triceratops in the center of the room was caught in the blast and bones and cement surged into the two duplicates in the room. The one who had thrown his club was knocked back into the far room as the huge horned head crashed into him. The other one was thrown back into the wall where he had been a moment before.

Dart jumped from the balcony and landed in the rubble before punching the Duplicate left behind in the face. Once. Twice. And he was down for the count. Faultline moved around to the other side of the door. “Ready for round two?” He asked as he wiped blood off of his face. Dart answered, “Ready when you are.”

Round 9. Both parties are expecting the fight, so they all roll initiative for this round. However, Initiative order stayed the same.

Corset demoralizes Faultline as a move action – and with her huge bluff succeeds. Then she does Total Defense. Faultline uses his blast on Corset, who fails her reflex and Failed the Toughness save by 11. She’s staggered and Stunned, but saves versus knockback damage.

Dart Charges Baseball bat, and knocks him unconscious. But at the same time the unarmed Hat Trick moves behind Faultline and knocks him unconscious

Corset was standing in the center of the room, drawing all attention to herself she braced herself for an attack. “That was a very expensive little outburst you just had. Whose footing the bill, this time?” Faultine’s blood began to boil and he stuck a hand out towards her. “You can work off the debt in jail, princess.” The ground underneath her exploded, sending concrete and rebar across her bare legs as she was knocked backwards to the ground.

Dart charged to the side of the room to where one of the duplicates was standing. Swinging with his force spear the duplicate ducked, but a swift knee to the chin sent him tumbling backward unconscious on the museum ground. Before either hero could be too proud of themselves a double-fisted blow came down on the back of Faultlines skull. He sunk to his knees as consciousness left him before the last Hat Trick duplicate kicked him in the back causing him to fall onto his face.

Corset pulls herself up on one arm. “Oh. I think… I think my leg is broken… We can’t keep fighting like this.” Dart allowed himself to be distracted by her mewing, and took his eyes off of Hat Trick for a moment. “Disable your device and we’ll talk,” was his reply.

Hat Trick took the moment to tackle Dart. The hero was spun around from the blow, but managed to stay standing.

Round 11. Corset gets up and runs. Dart is Stunned and Hat Trick attacks, but Dart passes his toughness save.

Corset pushed herself up on her “broken leg” and high tailed it to the back wall. Hat Trick followed up his tackle with a series of quick jabs, though each reflected off Dart’s force field bloodying his knuckles.

In the back of the room Corset smashes the display case that held a series of fossils. Picking up a piece of amber, she slipped it between her bosoms before turning to check on the progress Hat Trick was making. Dart grabbed Hat Trick’s wrist and twisted, throwing him to his knees and placing him in a sleeper hold. When this didn’t achieve the effect he wanted quick enough a head blow to the back of Hat Trick’s skull sent the last duplicate collapsing to the floor.

Corset Power Stunts her damage aura into Blast 9. Dart gets a HP. The attack misses. Dart throws his Strike. It misses so Dart uses his HP to reroll. Hits, Corset fails by 15 and slips into unconsciousness.

[/quote][/quote]

Edging continually towards the a side exit, Corset continued to talk. “I can make it worth your while if you let me walk on out of here. I know how to give boys like you a real good time.” Suddenly, the energy coursing across her suit coalesced and fired as a beam. The energy crackled as it went wide of Dart and struck a sign explaining fossilization, causing it to scorch. Corset turned and ran towards the exit, but Dart pulled back his arm and threw the spear he had been carrying. The projectile stuck her between the shoulder blades and exploded in a burst of kinetic force that sent her skidding across the floor. She laid there unmoving,

End!

Woah. It takes a lot longer to do one of these with so many characters! Heroic Duplication is definitely a strong power, but in the end the Heroes won out.

Last edited by NYpurdy on Tue Apr 01, 2014 9:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Phaedra sat crossed legged in front of the door. The door was tall, at least 12 feet in height, narrow and the color of sun-bleached bone. Phaedra was its opposite in nearly every way. She was short by modern earth standards; round and stout and exuding a sense of vitality. Her dark, Mediterranean features were tight with stress as she sat with her eyes closed. Over and over she repeated mystical syllabus that caused the surrounding air to hum.

The door stood without a frame, or even a wall, surrounding it at the top of a wide staircase. Stairs and doors filled nearly every part of the horizon, with deep midnight sky and twinkling stairs peaking between the architecture. Three large, glowing, blue chains were fastened tightly around the bone-white portal.

Three men were running up the long stair case towards Phaedra as she chanted. Like her they were dressed in robes of deep jewel tones elaborately embroidered in gold. One was a distinguished greying gentleman with deep read robes hanging open like a smoking jacket over an immaculate grey pinstripe suit. He held an intricately carved silver cane under the crook of his arm. He was followed by a tall, pale skin man who conjured up the image of a warrior from the Scottish highlands. His long red hair and braided beard stood out vividly against is his blue robes, which were open to show his milky chest. In his hands he clutched a massive broadsword; a Claymore. “Phaedra,” the gentleman spoke softly as he placed a hand on her purple-robed shoulder, “it’s Nicholas. Dougal is here with me.”

“And Rashid!” called the third man as he caught up to their others. He was younger, and thinner, with olive sin and square-rimmed glasses and the beginnings of a beard. A small skullcap was perched upon his head, cut from the same rich orange that was his high-necked coat and embroidered pants.

“Psst.” Nicholas chided, before wiping sweat from Phaedra’s brow with a handkerchief from his breast-pocket. “Who else is coming, Highlander?” The warrior shook his head. No words needed to be shared to know that no other Warden would make it to this door in time.

“Couldn’t we – “

“Psst!” Nicholas repeated and Rashid shut his mouth.

For a good moment the three men stood behind Phaedra as she incanted. The silence was penetrated by a thunderous “boom” as a huge force slammed against the far side of the door. Cane and sword were brought to attention and Phaedra’s voice increased in volume.

Boom.

The whole staircase shook and cracks radiated from the base of the door. Rashid stumbled to one knee before quickly scrambling up. Dougal and Nicholas began incantations of their own and Phaedra’s voice crescendo to a echoing shout.

Boom.

In a flash of blue light the three mystical chains shattered and the tall, thin, bone-white door was thrown from its hinges. The battle had begun.

Description: Phaedra was plucked from ancient Greece, though rumors are she summoned the Door Warden's to her and not vice versa. She's short by modern earth standards; round and stout and exudes a sense of vitality. Her dark, Mediterranean features reflect her earthly roots, and she wears her thick, curly black hair in a thick ponytail. She wears vibrant purple-robes, embroidered in the golden thread typical of all Wardens, and wields an enchanted Greek style Kopis.

Phaedra, at times, is a motherly figure who takes care of the Wardens; however, when things get tough she is both a tireless fighter and a shrewd tactician. Her magical abilities typical manifest as glowing blue constructs. Mystical chains may be summoned to ensnare opponents, blasts of blue light may rip through obstacles, and several glowing creatures may be summoned to aid her: a pack of lean hunting dogs, one-eyed specters, and a huge armored guardian.

More so than most of the Dimension of Doors current Wardens Phaedra is loyal to the Master Mage Ios who initially created the dimension. One of Ios' iconic spells is cast almost tirelessly by Phaedra, granting her amazing powers of perception as eight glowing eyes slowly circle around her head.

Last edited by NYpurdy on Sun Jun 23, 2013 10:45 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Description: A tall, pale skinned man with long red hair and a braid beard. Dougal instant summons up images of Scottish highlanders, which is exactly what he was. Dougal wears vibrant blue robes which expose his milky white chest and stand out vividly against his red hair. An otherwise attractive man, Dougal has vicious looking scar that crosses from below his right cheek, down his neck, and across to his left pectoral. This battle-wound was able to be healed by magic, but the dark sorcery that caused it has left him permanently mute.

Dougal wields a massive Claymore, is immensely strong, and will never run from a fight or back down from a challenge.

Last edited by NYpurdy on Sun Jun 23, 2013 11:06 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Description: A distinguished, greying gentleman with deep red robes that are worn in an uncommon fashion for Wardens: draped over an immaculate grey pinstripe suit like a smoking jacket. He carries an intricately carved silver cane with him at all times. Despite his aged appearance, Nicholas was welcomed as a Door Warden from Victorian England - much later in Earth's history than most Wardens. He frequently travels back to Earth (which has caused him to continue to age while his fellows stay suspended by Ios' magic), always to find a lady to woo for a night or three.

The focus for all of Nicholas' magic is his ornate cane, and without it he is unable to cast spells. With it, however, he is immensely more versatile than his fellow wardens. His magic most often takes the form of what one would expect from an earth magician, and he has sacrificed power to gain such flexibility. Nicholas wears a tarnished silver moth clip on his lapel at all times. Besides being a signature look, this moth is enchanted with a potent protection spell that helps ward away harm.

Last edited by NYpurdy on Sun Jun 23, 2013 11:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Description: Rashid was one of the brightest mathematicians that the ancient Arab Empire could produce. However, his application of his science to the arcane and the bending of reality ostracized him from those with influence. Still very young, only in his early twenties, when summoned by the Wardens, Rashid still maintains his youthful, and often brash, short-sighted, and proud personality.

He is young and thin, with olive skin and square-rimmed glasses and the beginnings of a beard. His ornate apparel are a rich orange fabric fabricated into a high-necked coat and embroidered paints. Rashid often wears a matching skull cap.

Being an expert mathematician he draws complicated formulas in the air around him in glowing symbols as he manipulates reality around him. Immensely talented, he is also one of the least battle-savvy Door Wardens.

If the characters in my game (a Claremont Academy setting) interact with these characters, Rashid will be their first and most personal connection. I picture him taking on a very hipster look and outlook when (and if) he returns to earth.

Last edited by NYpurdy on Sun Jun 23, 2013 11:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Description: Called from ancient China, Meifeng is an agile fighter that wields a magical Zhua whose forged hand is enchanted to be animated and responsive to the wielder's will. Dressed in emerald robes, has trained the mystical ability to be able to leap into the air and fall so slowly as to appear as if she is flying. Her magical prowess is less than that of many other Wardens, but she wields one deadly spell that seeks out the very heart of her enemy and causes lingering damage as it harrows its very being.

Last edited by NYpurdy on Sun Jun 23, 2013 11:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Description: The World-Skies are a between universe, similar to both the astral planes and the Dimension of Doors. The World-Skies is packed with micro-planets, each with their unique citizens, gravity, and environment. Flying whales, flocks of birds, and all manner of flying machines fills the space between these planets. The central feature of this dimension is the Flying Temple. Is grand Pagoda is the proverbial center to this infinite space. The Monks of the Flying Temple are vessels of immense knowledge from many different planes, but have taken oaths to stay within the Flying Temple (or at least on the grounds of the small planet it nearly fills). Pilgrims of the Flying Temple are young devotees who are blessed with flight and serve as letter carriers between planes (as well as guardians and all-around helpful folk in the World-Skies). Anyone knowing the mystic symbols designating a letter needs to find its way to the Flying Temple may imbue a letter with an once of magic and send it to the temple anyway they choose (e.g. throwing it to the wind, burning it, post box, etc.). Once it arrives the Monks enchant it to locate the addressee and send a Pilgrim to deliver it. The magic, of course, only works for those who truly feel the delivery of the letter is of vitalimportance.

Pilgrims carry names that reflect their character, and Pilgrim Thirsty Look is of no exception. She's immensely curious about the world, drinks it all in, but this curiosity can distract her from her purpose and land her in trouble. Young and spry, she's ever the optimist. He clothes are unique to her, as all Pilgrim's tend to dress: tan capries, and a green top, over which she wears a fisherman's net like a shawl in which is woven seaweed and wildflowers. Most surprising of all, however, is the satchel she wears over her arm. At the end of the straps is a reciprocal that looks just like a large, silvery-blue fish - and so it is! This magical fish is more than content to stay sewn to the end of her strap and act like a perfect purse, since it's insides is a magical pocket dimension. The fish satchel does have a mind of its own, and needs to be coxed a bit at times and may eat something it shouldn't, but is generally pleasant tempered and very helpful.

Description: A street level cape who wasn't even well known enough to give himself a code name. His feline-like body allowed him to stop local thugs, but when he stopped a break-in in the industrial sector a chemical explosion mutated him into what he is now: a cat-line creature whose hair has been burned off and his skin left pink and scarred. Chemical Cat's skin constantly oozes an organic acid, and for an instant he can change his whole molecular make-up - transforming himself into a surging liquid. Water interacts poorly (at least for him) with his new physiology, making him weak against any water effects.

Chemical Cat is rather unhinged since the accident. He still stops crime... but usually leaves the criminals dead and dismembered. While still capable of speech, he only speaks rarely, and sometimes acts as his he cannot understand those around him. How much of it is an act? That question is left unanswered, just as the inquires into his mental state.

Chemical Cat can be both an ally and an opponent to the heroes, depending on the team and their circumstances.